Sherry McNeil, CFE is the President and CEO of the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) and has been a long-time member of the CFA’s Board of Directors. A veteran of the franchise industry, she has amassed more than 25 years of experience working with franchisors and franchisees in a wide range of systems in a variety of categories as both a consultant and in leadership positions. From new and emerging franchise concepts to iconic Canadian franchise brands such as Little Caesars, Boston Pizza, Dairy Queen, and Yum! Brands, Ms. McNeil has helped them grow and thrive in franchise development, sales, real estate, project management, concept evolution, and rebranding. Ms. McNeil has been repeatedly recognized as one of the world’s 100 Most Influential Women in Franchising, including being named a top international Franchise Educator and Inspirer in 2020. She has proudly contributed to the Global Franchise Awards as a member of its judging panel for consecutive years.
She serves as the Vice-Secretariat for Communications on the executive leadership team of the World Franchise Council, an organization of international franchise associations. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, and on the Board of Directors for Diversified Royalty, a publicly traded company.
At the CFA, Ms. McNeil leads her team in the creation and execution of franchise-focused education sessions and events, advocacy campaigns, and award-winning publications, including Franchise Canada magazine and the Franchise Canada Chats podcast. In addition, she provides strategic direction to the CFA’s Board of Directors, guiding them in their goal to positively affect the nation’s franchise industry, currently the 12th largest industry in Canada. In 2025, Ms. McNeil was instrumental in developing and leading the creation of World Franchise Day in conjunction with the World Franchise Council, an annual designation designed to promote, celebrate, and raise awareness of franchising around the globe. The inaugural celebration on June 11, 2025, garnered participation from 65 countries, 1.1 million social media impressions, and nearly 23 million positive media impressions in Canada alone.
Ms. McNeil holds a Master of Arts degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Arts (honours) degree from the University of Guelph. She holds accreditation through the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) program.
